Toy



June 22, 1943. w. PASEK 2,322,541

TOY

Filed May 23, 1941 INVENTOR ALTER L. PASEK TTORNEYS Patented June 22, 1943 TOY Walter L. Pasek, St. Louis, Mo. assignor to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a cor poration of New York Application May 23, 194 1, erialNo. 394,140

12 Claims.

This invention relates to toys. and more particularly to toys having moving floating objects.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved simplified toy using water and moving floating objects thereon. Another object is to provide motive power for causing movement of the floating objects while using miniature objects too small to carry self-contained motors or the like. Further objects of my invention are toconceal the driving motor of the toy; to provide means to guide the floating objects during movement; to provide brake means for the motor; to provide a starting gate for the floating objects; to combine the brake and starting gate, if desired; and to enhance the realism of the toy by providing a lighthouse or other simulation appropriate for a marine toy of the character disclosed. To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the toy elements and their relation one to the other as hereinafter are more particularly described. in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned elevation of the same; v i Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of the line 33 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the impeller and shaft.

Referring to the drawing, the toy comprises a preferably circular pan l2 adapted to carry a body of water it, extending all the way across the pan. An impeller I6 is provided. impeller being carried at the lower of a vertical shaft i3 preferablylocated at the center of the pan. The impeller here illustrated is very simple in form, it consisting of a piece of sheet metal slit at the center to form straps 20, 22, 24, and 26 in 4, alternate straps being slightly oppositely displaced to receive. the shaft it with a tight fit. The impeller consists of two vanes 28 and 30 extending in opposite directions from the shaft. It will be understood that other forms of impeller may be used, and that the impeller may be secured to the shaft in other ways.

The shaft l8 extends upwardly to an appropriate motor such as the spring motor 32. This drives the impeller in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan. The toy further com-prises a plurality of small floating objects 34,

36, 38 which may simulate war craft, speed boats or the like, or which may simulate swimming creatures from the human or animal families. It will .be understood that the operation of the impeller causes a circulation. of water around the pan, and the floating objects move with the cur rent of water. The water is also agitated, thus giving the floating objects a bobbing movement which enhances the realism of the toy.

.The toy preferably includes a guide to disposed outside the path of movement of the vanes, said guide being so positioned as to keep the floating objects in the outer annular portion of the body of water. This keeps them from being accidentally struck by the impeller and helps guide them in the desired annular path. The guide 40 is preferably located low enough to engage the floating objects, but above the surface of the water in order not to interfere with cir culation of water to and from the impeller.

The spring motor 32 may be of conventional character, it-comprising a frame 42 carrying a winding stem 44,'a main spring G6, and a main gear 48, with suitable ratchet mechanism, not shown in the drawing. Appropriate step-up gearing may be used which, in the present case, comprises a pinion 50 driven by gear 48, and driving a gear 52 which. meshes with a pinion 54 connected to a crown gear 56 which, in turn, meshes with a pinion 58 carried at the upper end of the impeller shaft [8. a

The motor may be provided with a suitable brake to prevent. it. from unwinding until desired. .-In,the present instance the brake consists of a generally horizontal Wire 6!] pivotally mounted at 62, said wire being movable into the stopping position shown in broken lines 60' in Fig. 1, and in solid lines 60 in Fig. 2, at which time the end of the wire comes into the path of an impeller vane and so stops the same. The brake may be held in stopping position by suitable detent means, here exemplified by an upwardly bent projection 64 (Fig. 2) on guide 40. I

The toy may, if desired, ,also be provided with a gate wire to stop the moving objects. In the present case this consists of a generally horizontal wire pivoted at the edge of the pan and movable to an approximately radial position in the path of the moving objects. Specifically,v the same wire 60 previously referred to may be used as agate wire. The wire 60, thespindle 62, and an operating handle 66 for the samemay all be formed by bending a single piece of wire, as is best shown in Fig. 2. The spindle 62 is received in a bent sheet metal bearing 68 which is secured to the edge of the pan, as by soldering or mor preferably by spot-welding. If desired, the gate wire may be curved slightly, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, so that it will conform to the edge of the pan when swung to the open position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that with this arrangement, it is an easy matter to simulate a race,

center area which is disposed over and conceals the impeller, is preferably made to simulate an island, and the motor is preferably housed within a simulated building, here exemplified as a lighthouse. The lighthouse is appropriate when the. floating objects are ships, as here shown, but if the floating objects simulate swimming persons,

' then the means housing the motor may bemodified to resemble a bath house, for example, or a high rock.

In the present case the island consists of a circular platform 10 made ofa piece of sheet metal which may be drawn to provide a dependin flange 12. above the water by means of spaced supports'or feet I4, said feet resting on the bottom of pan l2, and preferably being secured thereto by" some leak-proof means such as soldering or more preferably spot-welding, the latter being indicated at 16 (Fig. 1). The supports or feetare made relatively slender in order not to interfere with free circulation of water to and from the impeller IS, the supports being located outside the path of the impeller.

The annular flange 12 may be carried down further to a point near the water line, thus acting as a guide for the floatingobjects. The only reason a separate guide wire 40 has been 'employed in the present case, is'to provide a'gui'de and support surface for the brake wire 80, as Well as a detent 64, while keeping the brake wire 60 high enough to fit over or outside the edge of the pan. It will be understood that with a dif-' ferent brake arrangement such, for example, as

onelocalized directly onthe. motor or-t'heplatformi'lfl, the separate guide 48 may be eliminated andthe annular wall 12 may instead be.employed for the desired guide function. In such case, the .wall 12 is preferably extended downwardly further toapproximately the preferred water level. Itv should extend down far enough to effectively guide the floating objects. I It should preferably not extend below thewater level in order not to interfere'with circulation of water to and from the impeller. The Wall 12, like the separate guide vMi, is. deemed to be a guide extending around the sup orting feet of the platform or island outside the impeller.

When a relatively thin round-Wire, such as the 'wire 40, is used forthe guide, it may be located below the surfaceof the water, if desired, without'appreciably interfering with circulation of water to and from the impeller. In such case the interference, is avoided primarily by-the'construction of, the guide, rather than by its location. However, I prefer to keep the guide just above the water level so that interference will be avoided by location as well.

The guide wire is secured-tothe feet 14 in a The platform or island is supported very simple manner, it being bent inwardly at each foot as shown at 18 in Fig. 1, and the ends being reversely bent as indicated at 88 in Fig. 1.

The simulated lighthouse 82 may be formed of sheet metal and is capped by a platform 84; a simulated light 88; and a conical top 88. These parts may be secured together in the known conventional manner by the use of tongue and slot connections.

It is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of my improved toy, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. It will also be apparent that While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft at the center of the pain, a motor for driving said shaft and vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on said water, and a guide surrounding the vane or impeller and so located as to keep the floating objects in the outer annular portion of the body of the Water.

2. A toy comprising a pan adapted to carry a body of Water extending all the Way across the pan, a rotatable vane or impeller, a motor for driving said vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on said water, and-a stationary guide to keep the floating objects away from the rorating vane, said guide being So constructed and located as not to appreciably intefere with circulation of water to and from the vane.

3. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the Way across the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft at the center ofthe pan, 2. spring motor for driving said shaft and vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, and a stationary circular guide surrounding the vane and so located as to keep the floating obects in the outer annular portion of the body of the water, said guide being so constructed and located as not to appreciably interfere with circulation of water to and from the rotating vane.

4. A toy comprising a pan adapted" to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a platform or island above the water, spaced feet or supports extending downwardly from the island to the bottom of the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft beneath the island,a motor on said island, the vertical shaft of the vane extending upwardly toand being driven by said motor, one or more floating objects on the water, and a guide extending around the aforesaid supporting feet to keep the floating objects around the island.

5. A toy comprising a pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a platform or island above the water, spaced feet or supports extending downwardly from the island to the bottom of the pan, a rotatable vane or impeller beneath the island, a simulated building on said island, a motor housed in said building, drive means for the vane extending to and being driven by said motor, one or more floating objects on said water, and a guide extending around the aforesaid supporting feet to keep the floating objects around the island.

6. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the an, a platform or island above the water, spaced feet or supports extending downwardly from the island to the bottom of the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft beneath the island, a simulated building on said island, a motor housed in said building, the ver"' tical shaft of the vane extending upwardly to and being driven by said motor, one or more floating objects on the water, and a circular guide extending around the aforesaid supporting feet to keep the floating objects around the island. I

'I. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a platform or island above the water at the center of the pan, spaced feet or supports extending downwardly from the island to the bottom of the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft beneath the island, a simulated lighthouse on said island, a spring motor housed in said lighthouse, the vertical shaft of the vane extending upwardly to and being driven by said spring motor, one or more floating objects on the water, and a circular guide extending around the aforesaid supporting feet to keep the floating objects around the island, said guide being so constructed and located as not to appreciably interfere with circulation of Water to and from the vane or impeller.

8. A toy comprising a pan adapted to carry a body of water, a vane or impeller, a motor for driving said vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, a guide so located as to keep the floating objects away from the vane, and a generally horizontal gate wire pivotally mounted on the toy, said wire being movable into or out of a stopping position extending across the path of movement of the floating objects in order to arrest movement of the same.

9. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft at the center of the pan, a spring motor for driving said shaft and vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, a guide so located as to keep the floating objects away from the vane, and a brake movable into a stopping position located in the path of the vane.

10. A toy comprising a pan adapted to carry a body of water, a vane or impeller, a spring motor for driving said vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, a guide so located to keep the floating objects in a desired path, and a brake and gate wire pivotally mounted on the toy, said wire being movable into or out of a stopping position extending from the edge of the pan toward and into the path of the vane in order to stop the vane from rotating, said wire also extending across the path of movement of the floating objects in order to prevent move- ).nent of the same.

11. A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the way across the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a vertical shaft at the center of the pan, a spring motor for driving said shaft and vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, a circular guide surrounding the vane or impeller and so located as to keep the floating objects in the outer annular portion of the body of the water so that they tend to move in an annular path, and a brake and gate wire pivotally mounted at the edge of the pan, said wire being movable to a stopping position extending from the edge of the pan toward and into the path of the vane in order to stop the vane from rotating, said wire also extending across the path of movement of the floating objects in order to prevent movement of the same.

12, A toy comprising a circular pan adapted to carry a body of water extending all the Way across the pan, a vane or impeller rotatable on a ertical shaft at the center of the pen, a spring motor for driving said shaft and vane in order to agitate and circulate the water in the pan, one or more floating objects on the water, a circular guide surrounding the vane Or impeller and so located as to keep the floating objects in the outer annular portion of the body of the water so that they tend to move in an annular path, and a generally horizontal brake and gate wire pivetally mounted at the edge of the pan, said wire being movable to a stopping position extend ing from the edge of the pan toward and into the path of the vane in order to stop the vane from rotating, said wire also extending across the path of movement of the floating objects in order to prevent movement of the same, and detent means for holding said brake and gate wire in stopping position, said Wire being movable to a position along the edge of the pan and thereby releasing the motor and the floating objects for movement.

WALTER L. PASEK. 

